Gen Z is emerging as the most important growth demographic for JBL. JBL has a +70 year legacy as a premium audio brand, but like all legacy brands, it strives to build authentic connections and relevance with Gen Z.
Doja Cat has become an international superstar, propelled by her talent, as well as her keen use of social media, eccentric wit, and authentic presence. Doja is truly a social pop star, avidly followed by Gen Z. JBL saw potential magic in a collaboration and Doja agreed as she became JBL’s newest global brand ambassador. We wanted the best social stage to announce this partnership. With Doja’s 8 Grammy nominations, JBL planned to leverage the Grammys to create a culturally impactful moment- with Doja that built Gen Z brand recognition for JBL, gained substantial earned/social media impressions, and drove a JBL brand story in a way never done before.
The idea – collaborate with Doja’s team for JBL to become a fully integrated, red carpet-worthy part of Doja Cat’s overall look, and gain widespread Gen Z attention for this new brand partnership. JBL worked with Doja to create a surprising JBL reveal (a bedazzled JBL Clip 4 accessory for an IG-ready look). JBL’s brand insight – embrace Doja’s voice and let her be fully Doja Cat. Dare to be unexpected.
We’d announce our partnership with Doja without saying a word… instead we customized a JBL Clip 4 as the ultimate accessory. Doja was Grammy-nominated, so we made the red carpet our main stage. The Clip 4 is a portable speaker meant to be taken places, so we made it wearable. We took inspiration from her look designed by Versace, adorning the speaker with crystals and attaching it to Doja’s handbag with a diamond chain. From there, we let the internet do its job. Doja would tease out the partnership on social while we planned to amplify whatever she did via our virtual war room.
There were 3 planned beats for The Grammys activation:
1. Doja walked the red carpet wearing the JBL Clip 4
2. Doja would post to social immediately afterward.
3. JBL would amplify Doja’s post.
It happened FAST, with a completely unplanned twist.
Doja dropped a teaser on Twitter/Instagram in the early hours before the Grammy’s. Fans started to speculate…
Later that day as she walked the red carpet, wearing the JBL Clip 4, we had zero visibility to what Doja would post. But we’d also need to run with whatever we got, no time to edit. Doja posted a TikTok holding up the speaker, laughing out “jibble jibble jibble”...while being fed chicken. Her 'rebranding' was spontaneous and unrehearsed.
Then, JBL immediately leaned in:
- JBL changed bio to be “jibble jibble jibble” and fans lost their sh*t
- Doja’s video went viral
- JBL concepted and created a TikTok #duet by the time Doja accepted her Grammy, sending the internet wild. They were delighted to know JBL had been “in” on the joke the whole time.
- Beyond real-time content, it was the active community management responses to fans and other official profile comments that made this a viral storm.
Daring to be unexpected, JBL X Doja announcement blasted off - we hooked Gen Z’s attention and engaged interest in more from JBL. TikTok’s handle chimed in “Hands down, best TikTok of the week”.
All with zero paid dollars – over a span 12 days we gained:
This partnership lifted overall brand familiarity by 5%, as measured by a follow up Kantar brand survey.
